Sash windows in listed and conservation area homes
About 14.5% of homes in the parish predate 1919, and the town has two conservation areas, Saffron Walden and Audley End. Keeping original windows in good paint is usually better than replacing them, and on a listed house any change to the windows should be checked with Uttlesford District Council.
Our part is the decorative work: scraping back failed paint, filling cracks and open joints, priming bare wood and repainting. Where a sash has rot or broken cords, our carpenter repairs it first so you still deal with one company.
Preparing old sashes properly
Period windows can carry many layers of old paint, some containing lead, so we sand with Mirka dust-free sanders to keep dust out of the room. Sills and bottom rails get the most care because they hold water. We keep paint thin on the sliding faces, work each sash up and down, and run a neat line onto the glass to seal the putty.
Doors, skirtings and shutters often need the same attention; see staining and varnishing woodwork.
Saffron Walden at a glance
- 25 milesby road from our Landbeach base, about 33 minutesOSRM routing
- 14%of properties were built before 1919VOA Council Tax stock
- 373listed buildingsHistoric England
- 2conservation areaslocal council
- 22%are terracedCensus 2021
- 6%date from 1919 to 1939VOA Council Tax stock
How we approach sash window restoration
For a Saffron Walden sash we inspect each window for flaking paint, open joints, cracked putty and soft timber. Loose paint is scraped and dust-free sanded, joints filled, bare wood primed with Zinsser, and sills sealed with extra care. After any carpentry, we undercoat and finish in eggshell or satin, easing each sash before we leave so it doesn't set shut. The full method, products and FAQs are on our sash window restoration page.